South Africa gears up for new energy vehicle transition

South Africa’s transition to a green, sustainable automotive sector is gathering momentum with the launch of the inaugural New Energy Vehicles (NEV) Summit next week.

The summit, hosted by the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), and the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ), will be held on 22–23 October 2025 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

This summit will see policymakers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), investors, and innovators designing a roadmap to accelerate the South Africa’s transition to NEVs, marking a major milestone in South Africa’s journey towards a low-carbon, globally competitive automotive future.

While the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM 2025) and the Electric Vehicle White Paper already provide a framework for transformation, the NEV Summit, is where policy turns into results.

The event will showcase progress, partnerships, and practical steps towards building a robust local NEV ecosystem.

As South Africa’s industrial heartland, Gauteng produces a significant share of the country’s automotive manufacturing – one third of all of the country’s automotive output – and has the infrastructure, logistics, and talent to scale up its NEV manufacturing.

With the European Union’s carbon neutrality policies reshaping global trade, South Africa’s automotive exports, with the common destination being the EU, must increasingly meet low- or zero-emission standards.

The NEV Summit underscores the urgency of adapting now to safeguard market access, competitiveness, and long-term sustainability.

Key themes at the 2025 NEV Summit:

• Policy alignment and industrial readiness for NEV manufacturing.
• Green economy investment and financing opportunities.
• Skills development and workforce transition.
• Infrastructure and technology partnerships to enable NEV production and uptake.

As South Africa’s automotive sector evolves, GGDA, AIDC, and TASEZ is at the forefront of driving inclusive, green industrialisation, ensuring that the transition to cleaner mobility not only meets global standards but also creates sustainable local jobs and growth opportunities.